Part 94: Death of a Friend

Chapter 69 - Death of a Friend

Music - "A Perilous Path"
Download (Thanks to Grawl)



Previously on Divine Divinity:




Goemoe, you're a lizard! Do you know anything about the activation scroll your people use to work the teleporters?
I know nothi... Ssssss. Very well, Jeremiah. You ssaved Mardaneusss and you have proven your honessty. Ssss. Yesss, I admit it. I have the teleporter sscroll containing the activation ssspell of the lizardsss.




That's Mardaneus, the chief healer of Aleroth!



Hmm... I have a feeling that I know this lizard. It's so hard to tell from this angle. His name... argh... it's on the tip of my tongue, damn it!
I recognize this lizard! That's the good Goemoe. He is a healer settled in Aleroth, but currently he is living at the Blue Boar Inn. I heard he is there to help cure the plague that has struck the Poor Section of Rivertown. You must go there immediately and ask him to come join the council!





Chapter 69 Death of a Friend -

3 Octavianus 1218

When Zandalor woke me, it was already early in the afternoon.

Defeating one of the Black Ring in magical combat is no easy task. I thought you could use the rest.
I appreciate it Zandalor, but if the situation is as dangerous as it seems to be, my beauty sleep should come LOWER in priority to the defeat of the Black Ring.
The Dwarf councilor was still somewhere in the wilderness, and there still wasn't any reading on the Imp.
That only leaves Goemoe and Mardaneus.

I hurriedly dressed and grabbed my pack from where I'd left it, not even stopping for a bite to eat. I decided to go after Goemoe first.




I knocked on Goemoe's door. There was no answer. But this was important.

Goemoe? It's me, Jeremiah. I'm coming in.




Goemoe wasn't there. The room was tidied up with no signs of an occupant.

He was here, where is he now?




I left and saw Otho walking down the hall.

Otho! I'm surprised to still see you here!

Otho scowled.

We're trapped here because of th' bloody war, if ye can believe it! Th' army says that they can't spare the men to escort us back home! Bah!
Well, I'm sorry about that, but I've been to the front lines, and it's not pretty there. But with luck, it'll quiet down soon.
Do yer know somethin', Jeremiah?
Maybe. But I'm here on another matter. Otho, I need to talk to Goemoe.




What!? Did he say where he was going?
The only thing that damn lizard said was that we would never see him again. That's his thanks for all those years we had to put up with him!

Otho was being his usual gruff self, but I could tell that underneath he was upset.

I'm sorry to hear that. ... I'll be on my way then.
Ye might want to talk to Joram as well. I think Goemoe said his goodbyes to him as well. He's in the bar.




Well, Jeremiah! You're a sight for sore eyes. It's been a while.
Good to see you too Joram. I'd love to stay and talk, but unfortunately, I'm busy. Do you know where can I find Goemoe?




His words brought back memories which turned my blood cold in my veins.






Halt ssmoothsskin. Thisss iss our domain, we do not allow your kind to wander freely.
Stay your blades! I mean you no harm. I am a friend to the Lizard people.

I very slowly reached into my pack with one hand, and drew out the scroll Goemoe had given me.

My friend, the lizard Goemoe gave me this, the teleporter scroll of your people. I have no quarrel with you, I only intend to pass these halls to the underground entrance to Stormfist Castle.

It had the opposite effect from what I intended. The lead lizard's eyes seemed to swell with rage. He snatched the scroll from my hand.

Goemoe? You ssspeak the name of that OUTCASSST here, and ssshow usss proof of hisss treachery?! ... The clanchief must be informed of thisss betrayal. I will go at onccce.

You don't have any idea where Goemoe might have gone?
No, sorry, he refused to tell us anything. Still, if you do find him, say hail to him from me, and wish him all the best.
Take care.

I hurried out of the Blue Boar Inn. I had a really bad feeling about this.





I decided to get Mardaneus first. Once he was safe, then I could scry and find out where Goemoe had gone next.




I teleported immediately to Aleroth. The woods were quiet and still. As I headed for the gate, I heard a flock of birds cry out and fly off from behind the walls of the town, as if they had been startled. I felt uneasy, even before I reached the road and saw...




Oh Gods... no... NO!




I'm on the run, stranger. My name is Richard, and I was a noble knight, stationed at Stormfist Castle, but I made a grievous mistake. The late Duke's son has sent an assassin after me!
My name is Jeremiah Liro.
Jeremiah? I'm your sister Jenna's... I'm a friend of your sister.




Is that a wedding ring? You married Richard?
Yes.




Richard? Is he... is he -
I found him. He's alive, Jenna. He's safe, and I've made arrangements to ensure that he stays safe.




If you want to help, I know how. Follow the road to Aleroth and talk to Mardaneus, the leader of the healers. He owes me a favour. He's a powerful wizard - more powerful than I am and he can hide you while you rest and get your strength back. When I find Jenna, I might need your help to rescue her. I'll come get you, and we'll save her together, alright?





I could tell that Jenna wasn't telling me the whole story. She held her arms close to her body and rubbed her left wrist nervously. It was then that I finally realized what was different about her. I saw that she wasn't in the same shape as when I'd seen her months ago. There was a very slight, but noticeable bulge in her mid-section.

"Jenna? Are you... are you pregnant?" I asked incredulously.

She looked down and nodded, "I-It's Richard's baby. We..." A tear carved a channel down her dirt-streaked face.




Richard's armor was punctured in many places, and he was bleeding badly, but as I got closer I saw that he was still alive.




"Jeh - *cough* - Jeremiah... run. Issa.. issa trap."

"W-What happened here?" I asked, failing to keep the tremble out of my voice.

"Orcs. Lossa big orcs. Led by a human witch. They knew you were coming. Mardaneus told me to run. Didn't lissen. Couldn't run away again. I tridta fight 'em... too many."

I opened up my pack, looking for a Restoration potion.

"Ssh. It's alright. Don't talk. Here, drink thi- Oh no..."

I'd used all the potions from my pack in the fight with the red-haired woman yesterday, and Richard had lost so much blood that I wasn't sure he could wait for me to get more. But I remembered the spell Zandalor had used to heal me.

"Don't worry. I'll try and heal you."

I focused on Richard. "Shez ban allavere!" I cast. His wounds seemed to close up, but as soon as I stopped concentrating, they re-opened. Fresh crimson blood flowed out.

"No!" I said. I gritted my teeth and tried again, concentrating longer and more intently. But as soon as I stopped concentrating, the same thing happened!


"Come on! Come on! Why isn't this working?" I said desperately. I tried a third time, still no luck. Richard moaned in pain.

No! Gods! I know hundreds of ways to use magic to hurt, to maim, and to kill! Why the fuck can't I heal someone for once? I can heal myself!" I cried.

Then I realized that was the problem. I knew my own body and could instantly tell if I hadn't healed properly. Without proper training in healing magic, training I never had, it was like performing surgery blindfolded.

"Jeremiah..." Richard said hoarsely.

"It's okay," I said, attempting to reassure him. "Just try and relax. You'll be fine. I'll find Mardaneus and he'll fix you up, good as new."

He didn't look good at all, and I wasn't sure even Mardaneus and the full power of the Source could help.

"You've got to hold on, Richard. For Jenna - for your child."

"You... does that mean..."

"I-I-I've seen Jenna. She's alive. I know that she's carrying your child, Richard. That's why I know you'll make it. You need to be there for your son or daughter for many more years to come" I put on a false smile, trying to bolster his spirits.

A tear rolled out of Richard's left eye.

"A son... I-I wish I could see him growing up... but I don't think I'll be able to."

His breathing was very laboured now.

_{"Jeremiah? Come closer. I want to name my son... I want to name him..."}

I had to lean in closely to hear Richard speak the name he'd chosen. And then I heard him stop breathing. His eyes no longer showed the spark of life. I gently closed the lids.




I'm sorry. I failed you. I failed her.
No more. No. More. The Black Ring have taken so much, spilled so much blood.

"I swear to the Seven Gods, Richard, I will stop them, no matter what it takes, I will STOP THEM. I will have vengeance. Not just for you, or for me, or even for Jenna. I will have vengeance for all the misery they've caused and they will pay tenfold for each drop of blood spilled by their machinations. I swear to the Seven, NO MORE!"

I took off his left gauntlet and found that he had a golden band on his ring finger.




It was a diamond ring. Jenna's ring.



Yes. I'm looking for a simple chain of finest silver.

I removed Jenna's ring from my pocket.

I want to put this ring on it. Not permanently. I will wear this around my neck until I find... until I find her again, so I can return it to her.
... Allllriiiight... I have a fine silver chain with a clasp. It should do just fine.
Thank you.

He retrieved a fine silver chain, which I bought. I put it through Jenna's wedding ring, clasped it and put it over my head, beneath my armor. It was both reminder and encouragement.

I haven't forgotten about you, Jenna. I. Will. Save. You. If it's the last thing I ever do, I'll get this ring back on your finger.




I removed Richard's ring, and put it on the chain with Jenna's ring. It slid down the silver chain and hit Jenna's ring with a small clinking sound.

I got up and strode towards the gates of Aleroth.


Next Time: Return of the Past





Behind the Scenes

There's a quest I could have done at anytime - the north room of the Blue Boar inn has refugee from the orc war who wants a letter delivered to Afrasam in Verdistis, but it's such a lame quest that it's not really worth screenshotting.


Seven.

What's fake in this update?

•  The first part of the conversation with Otho was fake. 
•  All of the encounter with Richard was fake. 
•  I made the Richard scene harder on myself because when taking screenshots, I realized that the orc bodies Lord Seth killed were still there. After that, I got the idea to add in Richard's Last Stand. Until I saw those pre-existing orc bodies, I had intended for Richard to be there alone. But this way is much better, and was worth the time. 
•  When I first realized that I could use Richard, I was always planning on killing him outside of Aleroth. And by that, I mean loading a save from before I talked to General Alix, and killing Seth.

However, when I went to make screenshots for the dead knight, I discovered to my INTENSE irritation, that when you kill a knight (no easy task, by the way), their corpse disappears in a flash of light. ( _{Makes no loving sense goddamnit.})

So if this looks like I took a knight standing up and rotated them, it's 'cause that's what's I fuckin' HAD to do.